Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-05-20
THE TRUMAN BABY.
By RACHEL CAREM.

| ole IeIloW enough, with very good rec
ord at Oxford, over which he was becom-
lngly shy and silent; clever with an oar
or gun, and the best of companions for
a club dinner or tramp over the hills.
One short week in the Black Forest had
worked change which his former chums
would have witnessed with despair He
had taken to wearing violets in his but
ton-hole, had grown indifferent about his
dinner, sat on his balcony staring the
moon out of contenance, and carried a
VOLUME of Heine in his pocket, in COM
pany with dictionary, which prosaic
volume, alas! had to be frequently CON
suited. Even with its aid, Mr.. Aiken
found the poems somewhat obscure, but
he felt that they would be quite in har-
mOny with his state of mind if he could
manage to get at their meaning. He wore
inches off spick-span new umbrella
drawing certain profile in the sand, and
had been severely reprimanded by red
faced guard, with gold band around his
hat, for absentmindedly carving some
lnterlaced initials on the back of an artif-
cial rustic bench.
The cause of all this folly was pretty
girl, in a white flannel dress, with a
bunch of crimson geraniums under her
dainty white chin. Miss Margery Dayre
was sweet and winning enough to make
a fool of far wiser man than Jack
Aiken, with her demure blue eyes, which
could twinkle so saucily behind their
curling lashes, her hllf-sad, half f-pouting
red lips, her delicate, babyish complexion,
and an air of youth and naturalness about
her which was quite ravishing.
Jack had seen his divinity but few
times, and then, when in range of her
eyes, he had allowed himself but brief.
worshipful glance; they were perfect
strangers to each other, and as yet Fate
mad pointed out no way upon which they
could approach to nearer acquaintance.
She was sitting alone on bench reading
IN seml-seclusion, near the promenade at
W1ldbad, when Jack saw her for the first
time. For several days following the
young man paid extravagant prices for a
hothouse rosebud, which he laid upon
the hallowed seat, hoping that his charm
er might return, find the rose and posi-
bly, condescend to wear it. He discon-
tlnued this practice only on discovering
his offering fell under the clutches of a
ragged street urchin, VINO besieged him
with requests to buy it back with a
shameless advance of price. Afterward
he had seen the young lady accompanied
by nursemaid, carrying baby. A very
gorgeous parsonage was this Venetian
nursemaid, with an abundance of rosy
cheek, and the biggest, blackest eyes i'm
aaginable; her shiny black hair was plated
In disk like a round doormat sur
rounded by nimbus of silver pins like
SO many spoons stuck handles in. The
baby was like thermaj jority of its kind
pink checked, unwinking, impassive,
even when kissed and caressed by its
lovely aunt or cousin, as Mr.. Aiken sup
posed the object of his alteration to be.
How he envied the unappreciative little
beggar when tgot its chubby fists kissed,
or was allowed to tangle them in the girls
sunny hair!
Save for the fascination of the beaux
yeux OF Miss Dayre, Jack Aiken had NO
reason for prolonging his stay at Wild
pad he had no rheumatism to be charmed
away by the hot baths; he couldn't busy
himself with crochet and Kensington
while the band played, as the ladies did,
and he was not an artist mad after sketch.
ing. On the contrary, he had a strong
lnducement to leave the place, thereby
escaping the scornful glances and audible
snltfs OF an elderly, somewhat unprepos-
sessing lady whom he had met before
under very distressing circumstances.
Some weeks previously Jack had beer
in Heidelberg with an old school-friend
they had planned run up to the Konigs
stuhl, agreeing that the one to arrive last
at the top of the tower was to stand treat
Jack far outstripped his friend, who was
nowhere in sight as the former scrambled
up the steps. When he had regained his
breath and admired the view, Jack,
hearing footsteps approaching in the
tower, thought he would play a trick OF
his chum, letting him suppose for tht
first half of the ascent that he was first tt
arrive. Jack stole quietly down the spira
stair, dark as pocket, extended his armi
at the critical moment, and inclosed in ,
bear-llke hug-not his friend, alas bu
a substantial remale form cased in silk
| profusely sown over with scratchy ie
beads. She gave a shrek which
made the solid tower trembe to it
foundations, seized Jack by the shoulde,
and shook him till his teeth chartered
exclaiming: "You cowardly villain, t.
try to rob delicate, defenseless woman
IN the dark Shame on you, you disgrac,
to your sex!" She hustled him dowr
the steps and into the light of day, wher
he found that his cuff-button had become
caught in his assailant's watch-chain
wrenching the watch from its stronghold
beneath the bead embroidery. Jacl
burst into torrent of apology ant
explanation, but the lady listened with
look of stony incredulity in her eye.
group of attentive listeners gathered
round them, consisting of the photo
graph-woman, the beer boy, an umbrella
vender, a goat and two dogs. Jack fel
that public opinion was against him; hi
conduct certainly looked suspicious
particularly as Norris, his friend, SCENE,
to have lost his way and failed to put il
an appearance to verify Jacks story
Jack beat retreat as hastily as he coulC
in decency, hearing hurled after him a
parting benediction: ''If my brother
Major Trott, was here. you wouldn't ge
off so easily, you smooth-spoken rascal p
The one person in the world WHOM
Jack wished particularly to avoid, Mis-
Trott, had turned up in Wildbad, beade,